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Merkel begins 4th term as German chancellor, ending political uncertainty

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Merkel begins 4th term as German chancellor, ending political uncertainty

German lawmakers re-elected Angela Merkel to a fourth term as German chancellor, ending months of political uncertainty that followed the national election in September 2017, Deutsche Welle reported.

In total, 364 members of the lower house of German parliament, the Bundestag, voted to re-elect Merkel, while 315 voted against her. Merkel was then sworn in by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

In the election, her Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union bloc gained fewer votes than in the 2013 election, at 33% of the vote, as the far-right populist Alternative for Germany party rose to 12.6% of the vote.

Merkel's conservative bloc turned to the Social Democrats after coalition discussions with the Free Democrats and the Greens collapsed.

Olaf Scholz, a lawyer who backs closer European integration, was named vice chancellor in the government and finance minister, replacing former Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, Reuters reported March 9. Meanwhile, former Justice Minister Heiko Maas becomes foreign minister.